Vibration wave driving device
A long-life vibration wave motor which abrades little and can be driven for long time periods. causes a vibration member to form a vibration wave and thereby moves the vibration member and a contact member in tight contact with the vibration member relative to each other by a frictional force. The vibration wave motor includes a sliding material made from hard particles and a soft metal softer than the hard particles and having a sliding surface obtained by projecting the hard particles by 0.2 to 2 .mu.m from the surface of the soft metal used in one of two contact portions of the vibration member and the contact member.
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Claims
1. A vibration wave driving device for causing a vibration member to produce a vibration wave and moving a contact member in contact with said vibration member and said vibration member relative to each other by said vibration wave, comprising:
- a sliding material made from hard particles and a soft metal softer than said hard particles in a contact portion of one of said vibration member and said contact member, said hard particles being projected by removal processing of removing said soft metal from a surface of said sliding material.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein etching is performed as said removal processing.
3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said hard particles are projected by 0.2 to 2.mu.m from a surface of said soft metal after said removal processing.
4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said removal processing is performed after smoothening is performed for the surface of said sliding material.
5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said sliding material is an aluminum alloy containing a member selected from the group consisting of silicon particles, alumina particles, and silicon carbide particles.
6. A device according to claim 2, wherein said sliding material is an aluminum alloy containing a member selected from the group consisting of silicon particles, alumina particles, and silicon carbide particles.
7. A device according to claim 4, wherein said sliding material is an aluminum alloy containing a member selected from the group consisting of silicon particles, alumina particles, and silicon carbide particles.
8. A device according to claim 5, wherein a content of said silicon particles in said sliding material is 3 to 40 wt %.
9. A device according to claim 1, wherein said sliding material is a nickel alloy containing silicon carbide particles.
10. A device according to claim 2, wherein said sliding material is a nickel alloy containing silicon carbide particles.
11. A device according to claim 4, wherein said sliding material is a nickel alloy containing silicon carbide particles.
12. A device according to claim 9, wherein a content of said silicon carbide particles in said sliding material is 5 to 30 wt %.
13. A device according to claim 1, wherein in said sliding material, a film of another hard substance is formed on the surface of said soft metal after said removal processing.
14. A device according to claim 3, wherein in said sliding material, a film of a hard substance is formed on the surface of said soft metal after said removal processing.
15. A device according to claim 4, wherein in said sliding material, a film of a hard substance is formed on the surface of said soft metal after said removal processing.
16. A device according to claim 5, wherein in said sliding material, a film of a hard substance is formed on the surface of said soft metal after said removal processing.
17. A device according to claim 9, wherein in said sliding material, a film of a hard substance is formed on the surface of said soft metal after said removal processing.
18. A device according to claim 12, wherein in said sliding material, a film of a hard substance is formed on the surface of said soft metal after said removal processing.
19. A device according to claim 13, wherein an oxide film is used as said other hard substance.
20. A device according to claim 13, wherein a plating is used as said other hard substance.
21. A device according to claim 4, wherein polishing is used as said smoothening.
22. A device according to claim 1, wherein a resin composite material is used in a contact portion of the other one of said vibration member and said contact member.
23. A device according to claim 4, wherein a resin composite material is used as a contact portion of the other one of said vibration member and said contact member.
24. A device according to claim 5, wherein a resin composite material is used as a contact portion of the other one of said vibration member and said contact member.
25. A device according to claim 9, wherein a resin composite material is used as a contact portion of the other one of said vibration member and said contact member.
26. A device according to claim 13, wherein a resin composite material is used as a contact portion of the other one of said vibration member and said contact member.
27. A device according to claim 22, wherein a material in which fibers are mixed is used as said composite resin material.
28. A device according to claim 27, wherein carbon fibers are used as said fibers.
29. A device according to claim 22, wherein said resin composite material contains a fluorine resin.
30. A device according to claim 1, wherein a ceramic is used in a contact portion of the other one of said vibration member and said contact member.
31. A device according to claim 30, wherein at least one member selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, silicon carbide, and silicon nitride is used as said ceramic.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Jul 22, 1997
Date of Patent: Jun 29, 1999
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo)
Inventors: Yutaka Maruyama (Tokyo), Koji Kitani (Chofu)
Primary Examiner: Thomas M. Dougherty
Law Firm: Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto
Application Number: 8/898,494
International Classification: H02N 200;
